They snapped out of their shock and began to whisper amongst themselves.
"To think an Embracing Pill Martial Artist took first place in this year’s Three Sects Gathering of Heroes... Who would believe it if you told them?"
A middle-aged Martial Artist with a long spear on his back shook his head, his tone filled with emotion.
"I used to think Celestial Prides were nothing special. Compared to us Jianghu Cultivators, they just have a few more resources and slightly better Cultivation Techniques. But after watching Zhang Su today, I finally understand what a true Celestial Pride is."
another young man in a short gray robe said.
"A seventeen-year-old Celestial Pride, and an Inner Sect one at that. Is the Guiyuan Sect about to reclaim its former glory?"
An elderly man stroked his beard and spoke slowly.
"The Guiyuan Sect was never weak to begin with. Now that they have Zhang Su, I’m afraid the balance of power between the Three Sects is about to change."
The buzz of discussion rose and fell, but no one questioned Zhang Su’s strength any longer.
Slaying Zhou Dingshan with a single strike was a feat that silenced all doubters.
Meng Shouzhen took a pristine white porcelain bottle from his robes.
The porcelain bottle was small, only palm-sized, and pure white with no markings on its body.
But this unremarkable little bottle made countless eyes in the stands light up.
"Zhang Su, this is the Cyan Wood Spirit Pill, the prize for first place in the Three Sects Gathering of Heroes. You’ve earned it."
Meng Shouzhen offered the porcelain bottle to Zhang Su.
Zhang Su reached out and took the bottle.
"Sect Leader Xie."
Zhang Su carefully put the bottle away.
This Cyan Wood Spirit Pill was the very treasure that Ye Ling, Zhou Dingshan, and the others had fought to the death for.
And now, it had fallen into his hands.
Seeing the porcelain bottle, many in the stands showed looks of envy.
"The Cyan Wood Spirit Pill... I hear it’s a Spirit Pill that only an Upper Sect can refine. Its uses are miraculous."
a Jianghu Cultivator whispered, his eyes full of envy.
His gaze was fixed on the porcelain bottle in Zhang Su’s hand, unwilling to look away.
"A Spirit Pill that would make the geniuses of the Three Sects fight to the death for it must be extraordinary. It’s a shame that for us Jianghu Cultivators, forget about taking a Spirit Pill, we probably don’t even have the right to see one."
Another Loose Cultivator shook his head, his tone full of regret.
"If one could take this Spirit Pill, it’s said there’s a sliver of hope of breaking through to the Innate Realm..."
someone whispered.
Many people started discussing it animatedly.
The rumored effects of the Cyan Wood Spirit Pill grew more and more exaggerated.
Some said that taking it could directly generate Inner Strength and allow a breakthrough to the Main Postnatal Realm.
Others claimed it could let someone ascend to the heavens in a single step, with a high chance of becoming an Innate Grandmaster.
But in reality, while the Cyan Wood Spirit Pill was indeed very effective, its effects weren’t so great as to allow one to break through to the Innate Realm.
If it were that easy, the Three Sects would have sold everything they owned to trade for Cyan Wood Spirit Pills from the Upper Sect.
But regardless, the value of the Cyan Wood Spirit Pill was beyond doubt.
It was a Spirit Pill that only an Upper Sect could refine, a treasure coveted by countless Inner Strength Martial Artists.
Meng Shouzhen did not step down from the arena stage.
He stood beside Zhang Su, his gaze sweeping over the thousands of people in the stands as his expression gradually turned solemn.
"There is one more matter. Since everyone is here, it is a good time to announce it."
The discussions in the stands gradually died down.
Everyone looked at Meng Shouzhen, wondering what else he was going to announce.
Meng Shouzhen took a deep breath and announced loudly, "From this day forward, Zhang Su is officially a Celestial Pride of my Guiyuan Sect!"
BOOM.
The moment he spoke, the words were earth-shattering.
The minds of countless people in the stands went blank with a roar.
It was too shocking!
This news was beyond anyone’s expectations.
First place in the Three Sects.
The Cyan Wood Spirit Pill.
In the face of this announcement, all of that paled in comparison.
A Celestial Pride!
That’s a Celestial Pride of the Guiyuan Sect!
They had actually witnessed the birth of a Celestial Pride with their own eyes!
The stands fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more fervent cheers.
"The Guiyuan Sect has produced another Celestial Pride! That makes two in the same generation. Only during the Guiyuan Sect’s golden age of glory did such a spectacle occur."
a white-haired Jianghu Cultivator said with deep emotion.
He knew that the most glorious period in the Guiyuan Sect’s history was when they had two Celestial Prides at once.
Back then, the Guiyuan Sect’s status in the Jianghu was at its zenith, and even the Five Elements Sect and Medicine Valley had to give them a wide berth.
Now, it seemed the Guiyuan Sect was about to relive its former glory.
"Could they really be returning to the Guiyuan Sect’s peak era?"
someone else added, their voice tinged with awe.
"I remember Yu Hualong was promoted to True Disciple at twenty. Then he spent nearly another ten years before distinguishing himself from the other True Disciples to become the Guiyuan Sect’s Celestial Pride when he was almost thirty! But Zhang Su? He’s only seventeen..."
an older disciple of the Guiyuan Sect said.
He was a contemporary of Yu Hualong and had personally witnessed Yu Hualong’s journey from an Inner Sect Disciple to a Celestial Pride.
Yu Hualong was already outstanding, but compared to Zhang Su, he still fell short.
"A seventeen-year-old Celestial Pride, and he’s only an Embracing Pill Disciple. This makes him an Inner Sect Celestial Pride, doesn’t it?"
a Medicine Valley disciple muttered.
There was a hint of gravity in his tone.
Inner Sect Celestial Pride—the weight of those words was immense.
Among the Three Sects, an Inner Sect Celestial Pride was exceptionally rare.
Every Inner Sect Celestial Pride, provided they could fully develop, would become a figure who could suppress an entire generation.
"The Guiyuan Sect has only ever had three Inner Sect Celestial Prides in its history. Zhang Su is the fourth..."
In the Five Elements Sect’s seating area, an Elder spoke slowly.
His expression was grim.
The Guiyuan Sect having another Inner Sect Celestial Pride was definitely not good news for the Five Elements Sect.
If, before, everyone merely thought Zhang Su was no less impressive than a Celestial Pride,
then with Meng Shouzhen’s official announcement, it was no longer a question of whether he was ’as good as’ a Celestial Pride.